The Seventh Wife: Part 1

Chapter I: What Have I Done!

With the touch of a crystal doorknob his drafty shadow casts a spell across the room…he has come to take me. I clench the sierra hued cotton sheets and hang on by a fingernail as if falling from a cliff. I sink my face within the pillow and tremble coldly as he slithers into the bed behind me. He manifests himself by pulling me into the center of him. His needy fingertips tracing my spine through my night gown. One hand savagely grips my hip as he rubs his undone husky body against mine. He lays aside my unraveled long hair that shelters my ear from his warm volatile breath. I hear his desperate rapid breaths waiting to pry my intertwined legs open and consummate the marriage. Tightly, I stay uncompromised. From the inside I scream “WHAT HAVE I DONE!!!”

Chapter II: My Love Elijah

Elijah proposed marriage to me when I was just thirteen. He bent a shade tree twig to circle my ring finger and made a pinkie swear to marry me. We were devoted and promised to one another in spite of the fact he had a four year head start on me. I had to be eighteen to be able to receive a husband. We thought we had all the time in the world because we knew Jobe, the Prophet, wanted our happiness. However, we were naive. According to Jobe’s vision, Elijah was to marry the Tussle sisters.

I stood by devastated when he had taken Dalia as wife number one and Daisy as wife number two on a Sunday afternoon a day after my sixteenth birthday.

It wasn’t until Elijah met me in secret in the park after dark on my eighteen birthday that I was hopeful. He proposed to me again…this time with his grandmother’s wedding ring. He said even after sleeping with his wives it did not shake his feelings for me. He fell to the ground sobbing at my bare feet begging me to accept position as his third and most cherished wife. He cried “I know you’ll have to share me, but my heart will always be yours alone. I promise not to marry after you no matter what the Prophet envisions”.

This was not the proposal of my dreams to be the third wheel, but I was willing to settle as his third wife just to have him…I loved no other.

I was old enough to plead my case to the Prophet, the only one that could officially bless the marriage. I sat in his home waiting for him while he finished some woodwork. Obviously he was in no rush to talk to me as I waited three hours to get a chance to have words.

“I’ve called upon you today because I am of marrying age and have chosen a husband”, I confidently declared.

“Has this man chosen you to be his wife?” the Prophet Jobe asked while drinking a tall glass of water.

“Yes, Elijah and I have been promised to each other for a long time”, I spoke.

“Ah yes, you are to be his third wife”, Jobe nodded in agreement.

“I also have been informed that his second wife is having problems conceiving another child, I would like to help as a third wife to bring fourth more children”, I added hoping make my proposal more appealing.

“You are to be married ten days from now…preparations have already been made, your going to make us all proud”, Jobe smiled.

“Really….I can’t thank you enough. Just wait until I tell Elijah he will be so excited”, I chirped.

“I’ll tell him personally, you just prepare for your wedding”, Jobe said.

Chapter III: The Arrangement

This morning the church was dressed in lilac, lavender and pine. I wore my mother’s wedding dress to honor her since she passed when I was only five. My father was no where to be found so I faced walking down the aisle alone. A sense of taboo followed me as the congregation stared on. I couldn’t understand why they did not seem happy for me. Maybe they felt I was betraying Elijah’s wives and children by flaunting the fact wife number two was infertile or perhaps I was still too young to take on such a responsibility as a sister wife. I didn’t care because this was my day and I was going to handle it with maturity.

Not a shred of doubt crossed my mind until I saw Elijah, his wives and children sitting in the front pew next to the altar.

Elijah was dressed as a groom, but he refused to acknowledge me. I tried to signal him to take his rightful place beside me at the altar, but one of his wives just pointed me to see what was in front of me. The pit of my stomach churned as I turned my head away from Elijah and saw a faceless stranger smiling back at me with his hands folded in front of his domed stomach.

I froze before the altar…I could only wonder who arranged this bait and switch on the most important day of my life. Jobe gave me a look of confirmation that he recognized my fear and signaled me into his chambers. I remember the conflict like my breakfast eggs.

“Wh…wha…what is going on?” I asked.

“Why… it is your wedding”, Jobe answered playing me for a fool.

“I can see that, but what I don’t understand is why Elijah is not at the altar, but a stranger is standing there like he is suppose to be my groom”, I spoke.

“That is because he is your groom…his name is Jonas you are to be his seventh wife”, Jobe ordered.

“I am not promised to him, I don’t know him let alone love him…this has to be a big mistake!” I yelled.

“Silence child! You were met to marry Jonas since the day of your birth, you must accept it Colette”, Jobe shouted in a modest whisper.

“I CAN NOT AND WILL NOT MARRY THAT MAN!!” I fired back.

“I’m afraid you have no choice in the matter…if you reject him as your husband you will be exiled. You have no formal education, no family or friends to turn to for help…we will never open the door for you again. You will die in the streets without a tear drop to your name”, Jobe threatened.

“My father will never allow this!” I challenged once more to see how serious it was.

“Your father signed the agreement with the council…it is done my child”, Jobe answered while showing the agreement.

Jobe left the chambers leaving me a few minutes to allow me to take it all in and swallow it as my future life.

“How could this of happened?” I thought. My life had been planned out for me right from conception. I felt hamstringed in the middle of a field during a thunderstorm. The lightning bolts strike all around me and I am waiting to be shocked to the bone. Shun and shame did not sit well with me.

“What if I refused and ran away?” I thought. It would not get me very far. The outcome would still be the same…I would never be the right hand gal of my beloved, but now alone on the streets.

Could I settle being a mindless baby making vessel to a father of a dozen?

I was out of options…with the Prophet always having the upper hand…it would be useless to provoke him.

I appeared calm and collective out of the chambers. Bravely I rattled over to the altar to surrender my will to a man more than twice my age.

I couldn’t directly view Jonas…I feared it would activate my fight or flight response…surely not appropriate in the house of God.

My cool petite hands interlocked with Jonas. We recited the nuptials with the last “I do” being a sour sharp lump in my throat.

As a blessing in disguise, kissing was not permitted during the ceremony. He did not have me yet and I was prepared to fight to keep it that way.

Chapter IV: Pillow Talk

His hands continue to taunt my virgin flesh trying to convince me of his rite as my husband. Seven wives for each night of the week could make any man feel boastful, but even with his extensive experience; I do not want any part of him inside of me. Again I crumble as his strength becomes overpowering. I never imagined my wedding night would be this raw. I will not dare to partake in a stranger’s idea of foreplay.

“STOP!” I roar while shoving his hands of my body.

His eyes twitch and widen in anger. He is hurt beyond words, yet his eyes still fixate on my blushed lips. He wants so badly to have the first taste of his new wife. I turn away as he tries to plant one on me.

“Do you have any idea how long I have waited to touch you?” he asks embracing me into his heated bare skin.

“I don’t care…I may be been promised to you, but my heart belongs to Elijah. You are nothing but an old stranger to me”, I insult.

“Elijah is a boy you want, but I’m all the man you will ever need”, Jonas spits out while trying to kiss me again.

I admire his persistence, but my body will never accept him.

“Didn’t I tell you to stop, it isn’t going to happen”, I firmly speak.

“How dare you to talk to me this way! Some men would strike you for not knowing your place. Look sunshine, I’m trying real hard to be gentle and nice since I will be your first, but you have to meet me half way if you want this to be comfortable”, he grunts.

“So you will rape your wife?” I ask now staring into his fierce icy blue eyes.

“Cover your eyes!” he orders.

“Why?” I ask.

“Do as I say woman!” Jonas demands.

I fear he will beat me to the edge of my life. He has the temper to fit that grizzly bear who sat on his face. I close my eyes into blackness; I hear the lumpy mattress coils squeak as the weight shifts off the bed.

“You can look now”, he calmly speaks.

The man is now fully dressed. It seems he did not want my eyes to be exposed to his private parts.

“I didn’t want it to be like this…I was told you were raised to be my wife…I was told you knew about me and wanted to marry me out of your own free will…I know now I have been deceived”, Jonas states while sitting on a chair next to the bed.

“What does that actually mean that you were promised to me?” I ask trying to understand all his claims to my womanhood.

“It is not in my place to tell, but maybe your father can promote understanding so we can ease this along”, he speaks.

“My father, but I thought the Prophet…” I speak.

“Trust me your father knows the truth”, Jonas sighs.

TO BE CONTINUED….